Finding My Way Back
Faith has always been part of my life, but I haven't always walked closely with God.
There was a time when I veered away from my faith. Life happened. I made mistakes, faced difficult decisions, and went through struggles that changed me in ways I never expected.
It was through those trials and hardships that I eventually found my way back to God.
I'll be the first to admit that I haven't always been a good Christian. And if I'm being completely truthful, I still don't consider myself a particularly good Christian.
But I'm trying. I'm human.
I make mistakes. I have regrets. I struggle with forgiveness, patience, and understanding at times, just like anyone else. There are days when my faith feels strong and days when I question myself and the decisions I've made.
But I've come to understand that faith isn't about pretending to be perfect. It's about recognizing where I've fallen short, learning from those experiences, and continuing to move forward with God in my life.
My faith doesn't erase my past. It helps me learn from it.
Faith Within My Stories
When I began writing the Cedar Hollow series, I wanted to create more than mysteries and suspense. I wanted to tell stories about people.
People who love, struggle, make mistakes, experience loss, and sometimes find themselves questioning everything they thought they knew.
Faith is woven throughout my books because it's part of my own journey.
My characters aren't perfect, and I don't want them to be. They face difficult circumstances, wrestle with their decisions, and sometimes lose sight of what matters most. But through those struggles, they discover the importance of family, forgiveness, redemption, and hope.
I don't write these stories to preach to anyone or tell readers what they should believe. I write them to entertain, to create suspense, and to explore the human experiences that connect us.
And perhaps, somewhere along the way, a reader might find a little hope in the pages.
Beyond the Pages
I'm Matthew Swartzentruber, a Canadian author, licensed electrician, and creator of the Cedar Hollow series.
My writing is influenced by the things that matter most to me: family, relationships, faith, forgiveness, and second chances.
Those themes extend beyond Cedar Hollow and into stories like One Life Later, which explore the choices we make, the people we love, and the moments we sometimes wish we could revisit.
I'm still learning. Still growing. Still figuring things out.
I don't have a perfect life, and I don't pretend to.
But I believe there's always room for growth, always a reason to hold onto hope, and always an opportunity to become a better person than I was yesterday.
Thank you for visiting The Cedar.
Matthew Swartzentruber